Business Incubation Center (BIC) of International Islamic University, Islamabad (IIUI) organized an interactive session via Zoom as part of FATA Economic Revitalisation Program .
The session’s chief guest was where Mr. Randy Chester, Regional Director USAID (FATA/KPK). He said that the program is aligned with the Government of Pakistan’s strategy to empower youth from newly the merged districts and provide them with skills to enhance self-reliance and thus build resilience. He also praised IIU Business Incubation Center and Bahria university innovation center for their swift adaption to online training due to Covid-19, which was formerly held in person at IIU BIC training facility (knowledge fort), and Bahria university.
The interactive session was also joined by Ms. Sheron Lazich (USAID Pakistan), Mr. Amir Goraya (UNDP Pakistan), as well as team members from USAID, UNDP, IIU BIC and Bahria innovation center.
Engr. Muhammad Ahsen Mirza, Pakistan’s first and only SIYB master trainer along with the rest of the team have successfully implemented the training through well-structured power point presentations, discussions, manuals and practice books with case studies/ scenarios. In addition the shift to online training has provided trainees with the added benefit of recorded lectures and videos. Certain trainees have also been provided with a chance to take part in this program which otherwise in the normal situation would not have been possible for them especially for females. Furthermore, the trainees from the newly merged districts have been able to adopt new technologies such as Zoom and learnt the art of online communication. Some of the trainees who successfully pitched and were awarded a grant have already kick started their business ventures.
IIUI’s BIC is imparting its services to entrepreneurs from the North Waziristan, South Waziristan and Khyber Agency as part of the UNDP’s FATA Economic Revitalization Project (FERP).
FATA Economic Revitalisation Program has been implemented with the support from United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the American people, where IIUI’s Bussines Incubation Centre and Bahria University Innovation Center work in collaboration with United Nations Development programme (UNDP).
The aim of the program is to impart entrepreneurial training and business incubation services to its talented pool of 180 Entrepreneurs (30% females) from the three regions and supporting them to develop innovative business ideas for the market by providing assistance in the form of training, mentoring, and coaching. Successful trainees will also be given a grant to kick start their businesses.
Start & Improve Your Business (SIYB), a product of ILO is a well-designed and internationally tested management-training which has created a considerable impact in over 100 countries around the world resulting in the creation of over 500,000 new businesses and 2.7 million jobs within 15 years.